Friday, June 04, 2010

Important Update RE: MAA in AZ

Constance Berman, a councillor of the Medieval Academy of America, has left the following comment on this post, our open letter to the MAA (147 signatures).

I front page her comment now because of its importance:

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I would like you all to know that enough Councilors of the Medieval Academy of America have indicated that we will not attend a meeting in Arizona to have called a virtual meeting of the Academy which will, I hope, take place within the next two weeks. One of the arguments being used to have the meeting continue in AZ is that there are 120 abstracts. While I'm morally opposed to having a meeting in Tempe, I'm trying to use the more easily made "practical" argument, that if we hold a meeting, no one will come. So, if you have submitted an abstract, but will not attend if it's still in AZ, then it would be good if you so indicate to medieval academy officers and council -- whose names have recently been sent out on the MAA list-serv

It'll make it easier for those who oppose it from inside the Council without having your abstract used against us. Thanks and hang in there,

---------------If you submitted an abstract, and if you do not wish that submission to seem a vote for keeping the annual meeting in Arizona, you should contact the councillors now. A complete list of the councillors and officers of the MAA may be found here.

There's a listserve for the councilors. If you want to send comments about an abstract to one of us, or to Peggy Brown, those get posted or circulated and we can all see them. We have of course all seen the petition and, as Connie says, many of us have indicated we will not travel to Arizona.peggy mccracken

There's a listserve for the councilors. If you want to send comments about an abstract to one of us, or to Peggy Brown, those get posted or circulated and we can all see them. We have of course all seen the petition and, as Connie says, many of us have indicated we will not travel to Arizona.peggy mccracken

I for one was planning on submitting an abstract this year, but due to the location decided I did not want to participate. I thought it was better to refuse to send it in outright, rather than pull it later, since I did not want them to interpret my submission as acceptance of the venue.